During a game that was stopped more than once for lightning, the U16 Shuswap Warriors kept up their passing game, defeating Kamloops 3-1 in the Thompson Okanagan Youth Soccer League semifinal on Saturday afternoon.
It rained so hard that spectators huddled under the eaves at the Jackson fieldhouse while the field filled with puddles.
The Kamloops team took advantage of one of the breaks to do some sliding and somersaults across the muddy field.
After the win, the Warriors suffered a heartbreaker during the final in Penticton.
With just 45 seconds left in regulation time versus Kelowna, Shuswap’s Taylor Corston struck a beautiful ball that went past the keeper but just wide of the net. Regulation time ended with a 0-0 tie.
Then, just four minutes into overtime, Kelowna scored, earning the berth to provincials.
“I’m very proud, they did well,” said coach Kevin Harrison of the Shuswap girls.
Big success
Big excitement for the U13 girls team.
After a win-less season, the determined girls travelled to Kamloops to face the Kamloops team in the fourth versus fifth-place playdown spot.
At the end of regulation time the score was 0-0. Then, after the two 10-minute overtime halves, the teams were still at a scoreless draw.
Next came a shoot-out. Courtney Bacon and Roxanne Van Rooyen scored for Salmon Arm in the first five shots, matched by two Kamloops goals.
They then headed into a sixth round, where Jayda Blair scored the winning goal.
Jessie Ellerbeck-Hanna was in net for the first half and Shelbi Richard for the second.
